How Maria Montessori's Model Met the Moment

           How Maria Montessori's Model Met the Moment

By  Elise Franchino

April 5, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic created an abrupt shift in education when it swept across the globe last spring, but one model of early learning, whose foundational principles date back over one hundred years, was primed for the moment.

The Montessori method is based on the tenets put forth by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator, in her 1914 handbook, which depicted ideal learning environments for children ages three through six years old. Montessori programs are centered around the child. The environment is treated as the “Children’s House” and is carefully arranged with didactic materials that inspire self-guided learning, sensory play, and independence. Educators serve as guides and observe, rather than formally assess, learning, to further individualize children’s experience. Outdoor education and gardening play a critical role in the learning process, along with music, language, mathematics, self-care, and a commitment to children's freedom.

Early in the pandemic, like most schools, Montessori programs sharply pivoted to an all-virtual model, and Maria Montessori’s method encountered technology in previously unheard of ways. “Historically there was a little bit of resistance to the use of technology in the Montessori community,” explained Katie Brown, director of professional learning at the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector. She continued, “Montessori is a very well-articulated pedagogy, and it's one that has been largely the same since Maria Montessori first wrote her curriculum, about 100 years ago. And so, prior to the widespread school closures and this pandemic, technology hadn't really permeated the Montessori world the way that it has in the rest of education.”

The resistance to technology was swiftly offset by necessity, and when Montessori schools went online, each program took a different approach. One school that found success with distance learning was Breakthrough Montessori Public Charter School in Washington, DC, which struck a balance between online and offline learning. According to Emily Hedin, executive director of Breakthrough Montessori PCS, students at the primary level, ages three through six years old, spend no more than 30 minutes at a time on Zoom. Many virtual lessons are taken directly out of the Montessori scope and sequence and last around 15 minutes, followed by periods of independent exploration offline.

To ensure equitable access to learning opportunities, Breakthrough Montessori PCS sent home teacher-created versions of quintessential Montessori materials, such as work rugs, sandpaper letters, the stamp game, and fabric frames for buttoning and zipping practice. “We've really tried to get creative about how do we bring those beautiful materials into the home, and how do we supply our students with enough hands-on materials that they can have self-guided work time that is not screen-based?,” said Hedin in an interview. The school has also ensured that all children receive items ranging from glue sticks, scissors, and Chromebooks, to child-sized furniture. Teachers encouraged families to set up a space in the home where children can have self-guided, independent play, as they would in a Montessori classroom.

Distance learning brought together families and educators in new and deeper partnerships that extend beyond the traditional “Montessori triangle,” which Brown described as the child, the adult, and the environment. Educators provided support to families establishing distance learning routines in the home, and helped parents foster children’s practical life skills like cleaning, gardening, self-care, and cooking. In a distance learning survey conducted by Brown and her colleagues last spring, Montessori educators cited the importance of forming closer relationships with families as one of the biggest shifts in their approach, and 65 percent expressed interest in maintaining family engagement moving forward.

Technology has also allowed Montessori communities to learn from one another in unprecedented ways. “Last spring, the Montessori community really joined together globally in a way that it never has before,” explained Sonya Hemmen, head of school at Ross Montessori School, in Carbondale, CO. “There were people in Asia who were offering webinars to the rest of us, because they had been teaching remotely for a month before us. And then there were schools within the U.S. also offering webinars and meetings, and really problem-solving together to do what we could that was best for our students’ health and safety as well as their educational needs.”

With this cooperative learning underway and a commitment to safety, Ross Montessori School opened at full capacity last fall. Hemmen cited mask-wearing as one of the biggest concerns initially expressed by staff and board members. Fears were quickly abated as educators used the Montessori model to teach mask-wearing and hand-washing protocols, and found that students were apt to comply. Brown explained that Montessori teachers are “well-positioned and well-prepared to explicitly teach skills like hand-washing,” which has long been one of the practical life skills taught in Montessori programs.

Similarly, Montessori students have always taken ownership of cleaning and caring for their learning environment. “We traditionally don't allow the children to see adults cleaning the rooms, because we want them to believe that it's their job, it's their environment,” said Ann Pilzner, Head of School at The Montessori School in Kalamazoo, MI. Schools are still embracing this practice, though most have an added layer of adult-directed cleaning, given the circumstances.

In the beginning of her handbook, Maria Montessori laid forth a vision of outdoor learning. “A garden which contains shelters is ideal because the children can play or sleep under them, and can also bring their tables out to work or dine. In this way they may live almost entirely in the open air, and are protected at the same time from rain and sun,” she wrote. Even in the cold Michigan weather, students at The Montessori School have been enjoying the garden, playground, pond, and wooded area on the school grounds, embracing Montessori’s philosophies while reducing viral exposure.

Schools engaged in distance learning also promoted outdoor exploration. Breakthrough Montessori’s educators have recommended activities like nature walks, bird watching, and leaf collection, while the High Desert Montessori Charter School in Reno, NV invited children to join in biweekly outdoor play groups for COVID-safe socialization when children were learning remotely.

Overall, most educators and school leaders have felt that their Montessori programs were able to stay true to Maria Montessori’s philosophy. In the aforementioned survey, two-thirds of teachers felt that they were able to uphold Montessori principles and values moderately to extremely well, a sentiment echoed by each of the school leaders I spoke with. According to Eric Perez, principal of High Desert Montessori, whose program has adopted distance, hybrid, and in person models, “We've been able to stay pretty much on par with most of our Montessori principles without having to make too many adjustments. I think, in the end, we've become a lot stronger because of this.”

As traditional schools strive to help students recover from this year’s disrupted learning in the coming months and years, Montessori programs may have valuable insights to share. “I think Montessori is really well-positioned to be a part of that recovery because of its emphasis on thinking of children as holistic individuals, and social-emotional development, and individualization, and multi-age classrooms. I think all of those tools are going to really help us when we bring children back into schools and try to put the pieces back together and help everyone move forward,” said Brown.

While the ways in which Montessori programs have reached students and families have had to adapt this year, Maria Montessori’s philosophy has prevailed. Her distinct model, centered on children’s individualized growth and development, proved it can withstand extraordinary circumstances and come out even stronger on the other side.

Child care programs that receive public subsidies (USA sebagai pengetahuan)

Sebagai pengetahuan dan pembanding saja!

Other Early Childhood Programs

About the Topic

Child care programs that receive public subsidies

Many American families enroll their preschool-aged children in publicly funded child care centers or child care homes. Some of these programs may, in practice, be considered pre-K programs1 but are not required by state or federal law to meet pre-K standards. Child care programs receiving public funds may be supported by vouchers provided to low-income families or through state subsidies to providers serving at-risk children. To assist these families, states often use funds from federal programs, including the Child Care and Development Fund (which includes the Child Care and Development Block Grant [CCDBG]), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the Social Services Block Grant. In many cases, the emphasis in these federal grant programs is on children's health and safety, but some programs are evolving to focus on children's cognitive and social development as well.

Many states are now developing monitoring systems called Quality Rating Improvement Systems (QRIS) that could enable parents and policymakers to determine which child care programs that receive public subsidies are providing high-quality educational experiences for children. These systems could be used to determine whether such programs should continue to receive public funds.

Privately funded programs

Because child care subsidies, Head Start, and many state-funded pre-K programs are open only to families with low incomes, many working families above the income-eligibility threshold must turn to private, tuition-based pre-K programs and child care centers for the care and early education and development of their children under the age of 5. These may be church-run preschools, parent-run preschools, preschools managed by non-profit organizations or for-profit child care centers, or preschool programs administered to small groups of children in homes. While it is likely that a significant portion of young children attend these types of programs, no system exists to track enrollments in privately funded programs.

 

Montessori method a good alternative in pandemic times

By Katherine Poyntz

Wed., Feb. 24, 2021

With virtual learning now the norm for many due to COVID-19, not to mention the myriad of other social challenges facing young people during this pandemic, it is more important than ever to ensure that our children are able to cope with challenging times. The best way for children to develop these essential skills is through education; education that prioritizes the child and sets them up for success.

This Feb. 21-27, we are celebrating International Montessori Education Week. Montessori educators around the world know that this educational approach is the best way to encourage independent, resilient and curious students who can weather tough times and make sense of the complex, changing world around them.

Developed over 100 years ago by Dr. Maria Montessori, a three-time nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, this method is grounded in the stages of human development, allowing students to develop self-discipline, respect for themselves, others and the world around them.

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Young children everywhere learn by exploring their environments through movement and using all their senses, so virtual learning that is developmentally appropriate has been a challenge. In Montessori schools however, we have seen growth and success during this time. I believe that is because the skills nurtured in Montessori schools are directly transferable to remote learning. A child in remote learning needs self-discipline and curiosity to keep exploring. A child in remote learning needs to adapt, problem solve and make decisions. A child in remote learning needs to regulate and drive their own studies. Luckily, these skills are at work every single day in a Montessori classroom.

In class or remotely, Montessori students help organize their day, set goals in consultation with the teacher, are encouraged to problem-solve and plan. This student-driven education style means that despite the global challenges, Montessori students are able to adapt and strive toward success, even in the virtual learning world.

Many prominent educators and parents across Canada have expressed concern that this public health crisis will set students back. But how do we measure success? If we focus only on standardized test scores and traditional grading metrics, we may indeed feel that students are behind. But Montessori education is based on constant observation and ongoing assessment by teachers at all age levels. Assessment is a process and not an event. Defining success is in terms of learning outcomes. Success means the development of executive function that is developmental and grows with the child.

This COVID year will allow us to look at children, their reactions, their stories and observations and learn lessons from them about resiliency and how to adapt. This year has taught them more about these skills than ever before. They are not really behind if we try this approach.

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This week, millions of educators, parents, and alumni who have attended Montessori schools, in Canada and around the world, will reflect on this educational method and the ways it sets children up for success. This Montessori Education Week, the best way to help your child develop the resilience, independence, and curiosity that our changing world requires, is to look into accredited Montessori schools near you.

Katherine Poyntz is the director of the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators (CCMA).

Breakthrough Montessori plans for COVID-19.

Breakthrough Montessori plans for COVID-19.

Montessori during Pandemic;

 A strong start

The purposeful design of Montessori schools to support the pedagogy includes features that also happen to be helpful in a pandemic-conscious world:

Wider hallways: Because “learning happens everywhere” in Montessori schools, corridors and hallways are often designed for both circulation and as additional workspace. These wider hallways can now allow more space for social distancing.  

Bigger classrooms: Montessori students need freedom of movement, so classroom size already tends to be more generous than conventional environments. Larger rooms can provide the space needed for social distancing. 

Dedicated bathrooms: Because Montessori encourages independence—including in the bathroom—many Montessori classrooms have built-in or nearby bathrooms. This supports efforts to limit interaction between student groups by discouraging different cohorts from sharing the same bathroom.

Outdoor access: Pandemic recommendations include increasing circulation of outdoor air into indoor spaces by opening windows and doors and using fans. Montessori has a foundational emphasis in connection to the outdoors, so classrooms often already have operable windows and direct access to outdoor areas.

Individual and small group work: The Montessori classroom, with its emphasis on independent individual and small-group work, lends itself to social distancing.

Independent learning: Montessori’s focus on self-motivated and self-directed learning can be more readily adapted to a remote-learning environment.

Challenges to tackle

Montessori schools also face specific coronavirus-related challenges:

Didactic materials: These materials are designed for children to independently select, use, and replace when done. Schools will need strategies for in-person students to safely retrieve and interact with hands-on learning materials.

Hands-on engagement: Particularly for younger students, Montessori emphasizes hands-on tactile interactivity and encourages children to move, explore, and manipulate the world around them in order to understand it. So what happens when technology becomes a central point of instruction? 

Technology for virtual learning: Virtual learning is a defining characteristic of education during the pandemic, but technology isn’t traditionally part of a high-fidelity Montessori classroom. The rapid shift to distance learning has catapulted schools into a virtual-learning experiment requiring a steep learning curve and sparking concerns about equitable access.

Multi-age classrooms: Mixed-age classrooms are a challenge during distance learning. Peer teaching and learning don’t easily translate to a distance learning environment. 

The Breakthrough plan

Breakthrough Montessori Public Charter School, a Washington, DC charter school offering a high-fidelity Montessori experience for PK3 through third grade, has developed policies and procedures for in-person learning. The school has pivoted to online learning for now, but will be ready to provide a safe environment when in-person classes are possible.

Breakthrough’s Executive Director, Emily Hedin, says the school’s ability to offer in-person learning depends on several key factors, including state policies, the health of staff, and access to cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves.

Staff researched best practices and stayed up to date using resources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization websites to help inform the school’s 2020-21 school year plan.

In-person considerations 

Health policy: Before school started, Breakthrough shared a complete health policy with families and staff, and invited families to contact the school with questions or concerns. If a child exhibits symptoms while at school, Breakthrough will isolate that student and contact the family to pick them up immediately. Children and adults with symptoms may return on-site once they receive a negative COVID-19 test, get clearance from a health care provider, or have completed the required quarantine period.   

Limited access: Access to school buildings will be limited. Only essential visitors—parents and guardians who need to pick up an ill child, special education and mental health providers, first responders, Child and Family Services professionals, janitorial and maintenance crews, and meal service providers—may enter school buildings. Parents and guardians won’t be allowed inside for routine drop-off or pick-up. All meetings between families and school faculty will occur virtually. 

Cohorts and physical distancing: For in-person learning, Breakthrough has set a strict limit of 12 people per classroom, including students and faculty. Students will be divided into cohorts and will interact only with their cohort, with staggered arrival, recess, and dismissal times. There will be no in-person conferences, classroom performances, potlucks, or classroom observations. Classrooms will be arranged to support physical distancing of six feet between students. 

Daily health screening: Before entering the school, students and faculty will confirm that they don’t present symptoms and haven’t been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for the virus. Non-contact thermometers will be installed at each school entryway, and while parents will be required to take their child’s temperature prior to coming to school, Breakthrough will also check upon arrival.

In addition to promptly identifying possible COVID-positive students, Director of Student Support Allison Jones says these steps serve to boost community confidence and reassurance: “It’s about the perception of safety, too,” she points out. “The psychological and emotional aspects of COVID-19 are an important consideration as well.” 

Masks, shields, and gloves: All school staff will wear face masks and face shields and will have access to gloves and other personal safety equipment. Students will be required to wear face masks, with masks and shields provided to any staff member or student who needs them. Staff members (both special ed and general ed) can wear a mask with a clear plastic window so children can see the adult’s mouth.

Cleaning and sanitation: Cleaning will occur throughout the day on campus. Deep cleaning will be done twice a week, with the campus closing on Wednesdays, during which time all students will learn virtually. 

Hand sanitation stations have been installed throughout the campus and hand-washing routines and protocols for all staff and students have been developed.

“We’re paying attention to the specific flow of lesson materials in the classroom,” Jones says. “Students won’t return materials to the shelf they got them from, but to a designated shelf where they can be cleaned before the next use. We’ll also be using individual rugs for each child, which will be laundered periodically, and individual chairs and tables for students. So, basically, there is far less sharing.”

Over the summer, Jones has been creating work packets for the coming school year and planning for home delivery of a weekly themed series of boxes containing objects and learning material. Children will be able to engage with materials that can be handled and manipulated. 

Indoor air quality: During the pandemic, schools should aim to improve central air filtration. Options include using portable HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filtration systems, especially in higher-risk areas, and using UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) as a supplemental means of destroying the virus. Schools may be advised to increase outdoor air supply to occupied spaces to as high as 100 percent. Breakthrough is working with campus architects StudioMB to review the school’s HVAC systems, with outdoor ventilation air maintained at or above design minimum values and additional filtration being provided. 

Distance learning 

Virtual learning and equity: All Breakthrough students will engage in some virtual learning during the 2020-21 school year. Hedin points out, “Breakthrough’s model won’t require hiring more staff, but what no school can really answer is whether all staff are going to be willing to return to school. That’s really tough. We may need to go full virtual.” 

After feedback from faculty and families, staff are focusing on making virtual learning more standardized, and the program will include both asynchronous (pre-recorded content or preassigned activities or assignments) and live elements for students’ school hours, from 8:00am to 4:00pm. 

“Pre-recorded video lesson sets are good because children see their teacher on the screen delivering a live lesson, which provides more personal connection in addition to live time spent interacting with students,” Jones says. Breakthrough has been taking steps to orient guides and staff to using technology for virtual learning. “Teachers have had to rapidly learn new skills and pivot to producing their own instructional videos for students, so learning on the part of educators to retool their curricula is also a defining characteristic of education during this time.” 

Jones adds, “There also needs to be follow-up with the family.” Families received clear information about what their child is expected to learn each week and over the course of the year, and the school has made virtual learning schedules standardized and predictable. Breakthrough provides family education to support virtual learning, and families will have a virtual learning point of contact at the school who can help troubleshoot and answer questions. Online safety and security policies (such as not sharing Zoom passwords, etc.) have been made clear to all families, students, and staff.

Guides at Breakthrough are working to identify what material is best taught virtually and which is not. And, Hedin says, “while the technology doesn’t necessarily lend itself to greater outcomes for learning, it may offer benefits when it comes to testing.

In addition to online learning platforms such as Google Classroom, Zoom, and Seesaw for interaction during virtual learning, staff are also exploring other resources, such as Khan Academy for math. To help foster connection and community, guides can link students across different platforms so children in different cohorts and age groups can see what their peers in another group are doing.

In addition to lesson quality, Breakthrough is considering equity—ensuring that all students have access to computers, tablets, and a reliable internet connection. The school usually needs about 30 to 40 Chromebooks for its students, but with all students potentially engaged in virtual learning during a virus outbreak, closer to 200 Chromebooks have been deployed.

Educators must also ensure the students with special needs are supported, since providing opportunities for individualized learning can be a challenge with distance learning. Breakthrough is keenly aware of issues regarding equity and will continue providing the services listed in individualized education programs. 

School schedule: As of this writing, the school is working with a “hybrid” schedule, where students are in person two days a week and virtual for three. Asynchronous virtual learning will be available to students in the morning, offering a Montessori three-hour work cycle. The afternoon work cycle has also been shortened to one hour, and the in-person school day ends at 1:30pm. Live virtual learning sessions are offered from 1:30 to 4:00. Lunch and recess times will be shortened, with 30 minutes for lunch and 1 hour for recess. Recess will still take place at public parks, but students won’t be allowed to use playground equipment.

Quick pivots and more flexibility

The true, lasting effects of COVID-19, not just educational but psychosocial, can only be anticipated. This new learning environment is asking everyone to stretch their limits, demanding new levels of flexibility and adaptability on the part of educators and schools. Hedin says, “Ideally, we would start carefully and cautiously and confirm that our initial plans for on-site and distance learning models are successful before making changes. That way, we could adapt our programs incrementally. The problem is that with COVID, this isn’t the case. Arriving at solutions has to be rapid.” 

The article is Reposted from:

David Bagnoli, Montessori Public

POSTED ON 

OCTOBER 30, 2020

Photo of by Sita Rahmah